Dwight Howard is under the microscope this year. Every thing he says, every move he makes will be broken down in terms of where he’s going to play next season. “He shook Spike Lee’s hand, he’s going to the Knicks!” “He went out to dinner in Los Angeles, he’s going to be a Laker for sure!”
LeBron James has been under that microscope, too.
But LeBron doesn’t want you compare the two. Not even close, he told the Orlando Sentinel.
He’s right. Because Howard is handling this better (so far).
Howard has issued a trade demand to the Magic. While he keeps leaving the door open a crack, he has made it pretty clear he is gone from Orlando after this season, so if they want something of value they have to trade him.
LeBron left Cleveland on the hook all season. He never really gave them that chance, he made it sound all along like he might well stay. He even had the Cavs come to the “kiss the ring” presentations after the season to make their pitch. LeBron kept the hopes of Cleveland fans up. It’s worse because James was Akron born, a guy considered part of Cleveland’s fabric. Then he smashed those hopes by taking his talents to South Beach.
Howard is being more straight forward. Magic fans are trying to sway him but Howard has made a trade demand (more along the Carmelo Anthony lines, which wasn’t a clean break either but because the Nuggets kept waiting for a better deal).
So no, he’s not going through what LeBron went through.
